An Inventory of Secretary of State Statutory Documents Section
Redistricting Plans at the Texas State
Archives,
1981-1982,
1991-1993

These files concern
actions taken by the Texas Legislative Redistricting
Board and the Texas Judicial Districts Board, and
filed
with the Texas Secretary of State, for the
reapportionment of the various state election districts (State Senate,
State
House of Representatives, State Board of Education, and district courts)
when
the legislature failed to redistrict. These records include
plans, statistical reports, orders, and maps, dating 1981-1982 and
1991-1993.
They consist of six files created by the Texas Legislative Redistricting
Board,
three in 1981-1982, and another three in 1991-1992; and one file created
by
the Texas Judicial Districts Board in 1993.

The Texas Constitution requires the legislature to redistrict seats in
the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate during its first
regular session after publication of each United States decennial census.
State
law also provides for reapportionment of judicial districts and State Board
of
Education boundaries.

The Texas Legislative Redistricting Board was created in 1950 through
a constitutional amendment (Texas Constitution, Article III, Section 28)
after
the legislature had failed to reapportion for a number of years. If the
legislature fails to redistrict in its first regular session following the
release of the census, then the Legislative Redistricting Board must meet
and
file redistricting plans with the Texas Secretary of State and submit them
to
the U.S. Justice Department.

The Legislative Redistricting Board (LRB) consists of five ex-officio
members: the lieutenant governor, speaker of the House, attorney general,
comptroller of public accounts, and commissioner of the General Land
Office.
These are non-salaried positions and members elect the chair. The Texas
Legislative Council makes data available to the board when it is necessary
for
it to act and prepares legal drafts for all proposals considered by the
board.
The legislature provides funds for clerical and technical assistance.

The Texas Judicial Districts Board was created in 1985 through a
constitutional amendment (Texas Constitution, Article V, Section 7a (e)).
If
the legislature fails to redistrict within three years following the
release of
the federal census, then the Judicial Districts Board must meet and submit
a
reapportionment order to the Texas Secretary of State. The order must be
approved by a majority of each house of the Texas Legislature before the
order
becomes effective and binding. If the Judicial Districts Board does not do
so,
the task falls to the Legislative Redistricting Board.

The Judicial Districts Board consists of thirteen members: the chief
justice of the Supreme Court of Texas (who is the chair), the presiding
judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the presiding judges of each
of
the nine administrative judicial districts, the president of the Texas
Judicial
Council, and one person who is licensed to practice law in this state,
appointed
by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate for a term of
four
years.

These files concern actions taken by the Texas Legislative Redistricting
Board and the Texas Judicial Districts Board, and
filed
with the Texas Secretary of State, for the
reapportionment of the various state election districts (State Senate,
State
House of Representatives, State Board of Education, and district courts)
when
the legislature failed to redistrict. These records include plans, statistical
reports, and maps, dating
1981-1982 and 1991-1993. They consist of six files created by the Texas
Legislative Redistricting Board, three in 1981-1982, and another three in
1991-1992; and one file created by the Texas Judicial Districts Board in
1993.

The 1981-1982 plans include one plan for state senatorial districts,
and another for state representative districts; the third is a correction
to
the Senate district plan. They are formatted as blue-backed Acts of the
Texas
Legislative Redistricting Board, very similar in appearance to Acts of the
State Legislature.

The 1991-1992 plans include one file each, for State Board of
Education districts, State Senate districts, and State House of
Representative districts. They consist of maps of proposed districts
(statewide and by major metropolitan counties), and district population
analysis tables (showing totals and percentages of Blacks, Hispanics,
Anglos,
and others). Other tables (for Senate and House districts) include: plan
population analysis (with totals and percentages broken down by total and
voting age population for each ethnic group), plan population analysis with
county subtotals, plan voter registration/turnout analysis, and district
contiguity analysis.

The 1993 plan is actually the order of the Texas Judicial Districts
Board reapportioning the judicial districts of the state. It consists of a
list
of affected judicial districts, stating which counties are added to each
district, which are removed, and which counties now form that district.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily
reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to
provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

Arrangement of the Records

Restrictions on Access

None.

Restrictions on Use

Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted
and
may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials
received
by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The
researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17
U.S.C.).

(Identify the item), Secretary of State Statutory Documents Section
redistricting
plans,
Business and Public Filings Division, Texas Secretary of State. Archives
and
Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives
Commission.

These records were transferred to the Archives and Information
Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the
Statutory Documents Section of the Texas Secretary of State on September
22,
1994; September 6, 2002; and September 8, 2003.